Fly Fishing On The Missouri River In MontanaThe Missouri River is formed by the waters of the Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin Rivers. It is a huge river, even in drought years. During the wet years when there is a heavy snow pack, the Missouri River is a giant. It's probably the only stream in Montana where a drought year possibly provides an advantage to anglers. Dams along the upper part of the Missouri keep the water cool and provide its excellent trout fishing. Fly fishing the Missouri River isn't exactly for beginners. It can test the skills of the best anglers, but it can pay big dividends.

The big river flows through wide-open country. Except for the spring runoff, it flows at a rather slow pace. The runoff is difficult to predict. The rivers water flows from melting snow from several large mountain ranges, so the snow pack can drastically change its flows.

The Missouri River starts near the town of Three Forks Montana. It's a huge river, over seven hundred miles long. It it damed at many locations. About two-hundred miles of its total length consist of lakes. For the most part, the Missouri River flows through valleys. There are areas of forest and low mountain ranges bordering the river but its banks mostly consist of agricultural fields and pastures. There are a few areas that have some cottonwood trees along the banks but that's about it.

After the Missouri is formed by the confluence of three rivers, it flows over Totson Dam. This dam does little for the trout. It's a top water drainage and the warmest water is what flows over the dam. The next section of river is approximately twenty miles long before flowing into the Canyon Ferry Reservoir. Canyon Ferry Reservoir is a good still water destination. It's a rather large, wide body of water in a large wide open valley.

From Three Forks to the Canyon Ferry Reservoir trout exist but are not very plentiful. Given all the water in other nearby Montana Rivers, we consider this section hardly worth fishing unless your a local angler and have lots of time to explore it. Most of the trout found in this section move out of Canyon Ferry Reservoir at certain times of the year. Most of the trout are browns and some very large ones exist, but the fishing opportunities are only fair at best.

Just below the Canyon Ferry Dam, the Missouri enters Hauser Lake. The Hauser Dam tailwater provides the first real stream fly fishing opportunity on the Missouri River. It's a short section of tailwater, only three miles long, but well worth the effort it takes to access it. The Hauser tailwater flows into Holter Lake formed by the Holter Dam.

This short section of river is quite wide and the flows are usually very fast making fishing difficult at times. Most anglers wade it as opposed to using a drift boat due to its short length.

Type of StreamTailwaters

SpeciesBrown TroutRainbow Trout(Wild)

LocationSouthwestern Montana

Size:Large

Nearest TownsCraig, MontanaGreat Falls, Montana

Season3rd Sat. May - Nov 30th (Year-round for Catch and Release some areas)

Rainbows and brown trout exist but the majority are rainbows. The trout average a large size. Most of the fishing is done just below the Hauser Dam using streamers.

When the flows are right, anglers fish further downstream. There are sections of deep, fast runs and long riffles and dry fly fishing can be good at times.

In most anglers opinion, the Holter Dam provides the best fly fishing opportunities on the Missouri River. It's cold water discharge provides thirty miles of good, fly fishing opportunities. The river holds a very good population of trout. Access is excellent from the dam to Cascade.

This section is by far the most popular section to fish, mostly due to the easy access but also the large trout. They can be very selective and are often difficult to catch. Don't expect to fish by yourself. There are usually plenty of anglers both wading and drifting the river.

Seasons:You can catch trout from the Missouri below Holter Dam year-round.Winter:The weather is cold most winter days in Montana but the fishing is good because of the constant water temperature of the releases.Spring:Spring time can be good if you miss the affects of the runoff.

Fly Fishing Guide to the Missouri River:Fly fishing the Missouri River tailwaters is quite different from fly fishing most trout streams because the river is very large, extremely clear and smooth flowing.

The river is full of aquatic plants and appears to be somewhat like a huge spring creek. Its trout are large and can be very selective to hatches. You could call them picky and you could call the fishing "technical" fishing. The trout are not easily fooled but they are plentiful and can be taken by anglers that are careful with their presentations. It is a stream where large trout can be caught on small flies. It is a stream where dry fly fishing is very good and for most of the entire year.

Although there are four tailwaters on the upper portion of the Missouri River, the most popular and probably the best tailwater is below Holter Dam near Craig, Montana. The river can be fished from the bank, waded and fished from various types of boats including drift boats, canoes and pontoon type boats. The stream can be accessed on both sides of the river below Holter Dam.

The Missouri River has some very large rainbow trout. They average about 16 inches but we have seen them caught over 20 inches. They claim that they are over 4000 trout per mile and we don't doubt it at all. All the trout are wild and all of them will test your skills to the utmost. They can still be caught provided you do a few things right. The prove the point, I meet a man on the Ruby River from Washington D.C., that claimed he caught large rainbows on Parachute Adams on the Missouri River. I didn't know whether or not he was telling the truth until I ran into him there a week later. He caught three all over 16 inches while I watched him fish. I tried it just upstream from him and couldn't catch the first one. When he left, I tried it where he was fishing and still couldn't catch one on the same fly he was using. It really had me bugged.

The river has few riffles and runs. Most of it runs smooth and it is of course, normally very clear.The key is the presentation. Not just a drag free drift but also, making very sneaky presentations with a minimum number of cast.

Continued:When the flows are right, some anglers fish it from tube floats. It's flows are smooth but sometimes tricky. Good presentations are a must.

Not far below the dam and bridge, the river flows through a small, short canyon section. It flows through a valley below the short canyon section below the Wolf Creek Access Sites. The mighty Missouri enters a wide valley flanked by low elevation mountain ranges before it reaches the plains. The Dearborn River enters the Missouri in this section. The condition of the water downstream of the Dearborn confluence often depends on the water from the Dearborn River.

The water downstream of Cascade becomes marginal trout water because the river slows down, widens out and become warmer in the Summer. The rainbows gradually disappear but the browns exist a few more miles downstream.

Guide, continued:You can also spot trout eating and often rising to the surface. If you will take the time to skim the surface and see what they are eating, you can usually match it and catch plenty of trout.

The Trico hatch runs for a long time and is one of the largest ones we have ever seen on any stream. It is a tough hatch to fish, but fish can be taken once you get everything down right. When that happens, nothing could be more rewarding. We have taken a couple close to 18 inch rainbows on the Trico hatch using 7x tippet and #20 flies. That is something else.

One thing that can frustrate you, is that you can be wading along maybe thirty feet from the bank, and start spotting rising fish out in the middle of the river. When you work you way near enough to reach them, you can turn around and see risers behind you rising where you left from. That means one thing. You have spooked the trout with your presentations or you are using the wrong fly. All of the river below Holter Dam isn't like a huge spring creek. There is a section of rough, fast water with large rocks and boulders. There are some riffles and runs in other places, so the entire river is actually very diverse.

The section below the dam, where the water is smooth, has a gravel bottom and averages from one to three feet deep. The large trout are often very shallow, so you don't have to wade out in the stream very far. In fact, that may be a big mistake.

Trout can also be caught on streamers and nymphs. Anglers also use scuds, San Juan worms and caddis larvae imitations. The river also has plenty of brown trout that range from 12 to 24 inches. Often streamers and nymphs work best for them.

Missouri River Hatches and Trout Flies:Our information on aquatic insects is based on our stream samples of larvae and nymphs, not guess work. We base fly suggestions on imitating the most plentiful and most available insects and other foods at the particular time you are fishing. Unlike the generic fly shop trout flies, we have specific imitations of all the insects in the Missouri River and in all stages of life that are applicable to fishing. If you want to fish better, more realistic trout flies, have a much higher degree of success, give us a call. We not only will help you with selections, you will learn why, after trying Perfect Flies, 92% of the thousands of our customers will use nothing else.1-800-594-4726.

If I had to pick one aquatic insect to imitate the entire year on the Missouri River, it would be the Blue-winged Olives. Of course there are several different species of them that hatch for most of the year. They usually start around the middle of March and last until about middle of June. Some species are bi-brooded and will hatch again in the Fall. Other species, along with the bi-brooded species, start again about the first of September and hatch until the middle of November.

Western Green Drakes hatch from about the middle of May through June, but the hatch is usually sparse. The Little Western Green Drakes, or Flavs, hatch during July and August, but it is also a sparse hatch.

Pale Morning Duns hatch from about the middle of June to the middle of August. These hatches can be fairly good and consistent. From about the first of September into the first week or two of October, you will find a few Mahogany Duns hatching.

One of the better hatches that occurs on the Missouri River are the Tricos. They start about the first of July and last through the month of August. These hatches can be very prolific.

There are many species of caddisflies that hatch on the Missouri. Probably the most plentiful species are those called Spotted Sedges. They hatch during the months of June and July. You also have a Little Black Caddis, or Brachycentrus hatch that occurs in May and again, during from the middle of July through August. The first hatch is usually called the Mother's Day Hatch.

Hatches, continued:Little Short-horned Sedges, which are the saddle cased caddis, hatch from about the first of June through July. In October and November, you will find hatches of October Caddis. This can be a very good hatch to fish on the Missouri River.

Green Sedges hatch from about the first of July through September. Imitations of their larva stage of life, called Rock Worms, can be a good fly to use anytime of the year.

Scuds and Sowbugs are very plentiful and fish can be caught using imitations of both just about anytime of the year. Our Perfect Fly imitations are the best you can buy along with just about any other insect you will find on the river. Crayfish are also plentiful. Imitations of them will catch the large brown and large rainbow trout.

There are also plenty of the various species of baitfish and sculpin in the river. Streamers that imitate them are effective anytime during the season, but are most effective when it is near dark or very early in the morning. They also work good if the water has any color to it, but that is rather rare.

Terrestrials are very important starting about the first of July and lasting through September. Grasshoppers are very abundant because the river is surrounded by hay fields in most areas. Hoppers are very, very plentiful. Ants and beetles also work at times, so don't forget about them.

As alway, we recommend our "Perfect Flies". Simply put, they are the best flies you can buy. They are not only the most realistic imitations of the insects, they are the most effective in catching trout. If you haven't already done so, we hope you will give them a try.

Summer:The cool water releases keep the fishing in great shape through the summer months.Fall:Fall is an excellent time to fish the tailwaters.

Options For Selecting Flies:1. Email us (sales@perfectflystore.com)with the dates you will be fishing this stream and we will send you a list of our fly suggestions. Please allow up to 24 hours for a response.

2. Call us 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide which flies you need.

3. Email us (sales@perfectflystore.com)with a budget for flies and we will select them to match the budget and get them to you in time for your fly fishing trip.

All orders are shipped free in theU. S. Orders over $50 are shipped via Priority Mail.

Headlines: We received two more good reports from customers fishing the river this past week. Conditions remain good with lots of trout being caught. There are some good hatches taking place and hopper fishing is also good at this time. The river is lined with lots of hay fields and they are loaded with hoppers. Keep up with the latest info by clicking on the above link to our weekly updated fishing report.

01/05/16 The Big Missouri is in great shape compared to its lower end hundreds of miles downstream in Missouri. Stream levels are actually good in Montana. You can catch trout all winter long due to the constant water temperature of the tailwater discharge. We recommend fishing near the dam in the coldest weather. Midges and Winter stoneflies are the main insects yu should be imitating.

01/12/16 The river is in as good of shape as it ever gets this time of the new year. Fish near the dam. The further you get downstream, the colder the water will be. It is about 39 degrees at the bottom discharge. Midges and Winter stonefly nymphs will work good. So with the White Belly sculpin streamer since the skies will be cloudy about all the time.

01/26/16 The weather isn't as cold ad one would expect. This makes little difference to the trout in the tailwater of Holter Dam but it does to the guys in a drift boat or wading. The flows are good by the way, and little change is expected in them. Winter stoneflies are hatching and of course, midges is the staple. When it is cloudy, try the Brown Sculpin streamer. It is getting some of the big ones.

02/02/16 Stream levels are good and the weather not bad, just normal wintertime weather. Some snow is in the forecast but that just means there is some cloud cover and good midge hatches. Both Cream midges and red or blood midges are hatching. Winter stoneflies are also hatching. Fish as near the dam as legal and for the first two miles downstream for the warmest water.

02/16/16 It feels like spring but it is really still smack in the middle of Winter. It makes it nice on those who enjoy getting out on the big river. Midges are hatching good and we got one report recently of some trout caught on the surface feeding on midges. Both reds and creams are hatching. There are still some winter stoneflies but in the fast, shallower water.

02/23/16 We are still recommending fishing near the dam, because the water is still colder downstream in spite of the nice warm weather taking place. Midges, both cream and reds, or blood midges, are hatching. Winter stoneflies are hatching in some sections. The weather should remain good until at least this weekend.

03/01/16 The weather is very warm for the first day of March. It tends to melt snow along the banks and in the little tributaries and creeks that feed the middle and lower sections. This stains the water some, but for the most part, it remains clear. Midges, little Blue-winged olives and winter stoneflies are hatching. Sculpin streamer are good flies to use in the stained water.

03/15/16 The big river is back to normal. Actually, it hasn't changed much, just the weather which has little effect on the fish. Midges, blood or red, and cream midges are hatching, and providing the best opportunity for anglers. The discharges and stream levels remain in good shape, and we still think the best location is near the Holter dam tailwater discharge.

04/02/16 The mighty Missouri is in great shape for the end of the month of March. The weather forecast for the coming week has little rain or snow and warm temperatures. It is a great time to be out on the water. Big trout will be eating little tiny bugs. Midges and little BWOs are the main insects you will need to imitate. Sculpin streamers will catch big trout under low light conditions.

04/19/16 Discharges and stream levels are good and the weather getting much warmer. The water is warming a little but mostly in the middle and lower sections of the river. Midges and little Blue-winged olives are still the main insects to imitate. Little Black Caddis should start hatching very soon.

05/03/16 The nice warm weather of last week is over and things are returning back to a more normal weather pattern on the Missouri. The weather has little to no effect on the water close to the dams at the two tailwaters. It does affect it some in the lower reaches of the tailwater. This is going to be the situation until the end of runoff. Midges and little BWOs, will continue to be the only insects hatching.

05/17/16 The big Missouri is flowing high and strong. The discharges below Holter are stong and likely to remain that way for some time to lower the lakes. There was a lot of melting snow from early season runoff in the watershed. There is a lot of rain in the forecat this week, and the discharges are likely to remain heavy. The water is slightly stained. Little Black Caddis are hatching in the lower river.

05/31/16 The river is high and dirty, with Spring runoff in all its tributaries and headwaters. In addition, to add insult to injury, it is raining every day. The runoff and high water levels will likely continue for the next several days. At this time there is little to no fly fishing opportunity on the Missouri. Keep checking back with us and we will be letting you know as soon as conditions change.

06/14/16 From the looks of the discharges, you would think the runoff is over, but it isn't. We do think it will end earlier than normal this year. It started earlier than normal. The river is in good shape and one of our customers caught some nice bows this past week. Streamers and nymph rigs are working. The water is stained in some areas.

06/20/16 The Missouri is in good shape in all sections. The water below Holter Dam is producing some big rainbows for one of our customers. He is using the Brown Sculpin streamers. Hatches should really pick up this coming week. The water levels are down and the water mostly clear. There are a lot of caddis hatching, including Green Sedges and Spotted Sedges. There are some little short-horned sedges as well.

06/27/16 Low discharge have provided anglers some very good opportunities to catch trout this past week. There will be some good cloud cover this coming week as the forecast is calling for rain every day but tomorrow. The caddisfly egg laying activity in the late afternoon is providing some good action. Pale Morning duns are hatching in the lower end of the river below Holter.

07/05/16 The river continues to be in very good shape for this time of the year. The discharges from the dams have been low and stream levels are allowing anglers some opportunity to wade in some places. There are a lot of insects hatching and the weather forecast for the coming week looks great. Our customers reported catching some very nice rainbows this past week. It is a great time to be fishing the Missouri.

07/12/16 The Missouri is in good shape in all sections. The discharges at the dams and resulting stream levels are good. There is a chance of rain everyday for the next week, but it will mostly be scattered showers and some thunderstorms. This could change the levels, so be sure to check them. Lot of insects are hatching with the main ones being the Pale Morning duns and Spotted sedges.

07/19/16 Our customers are sending in some good reports. They are catching plenty of rainbows and some rather large. There are lot of insects hatching including three species of caddisflies, and lot of Pale Morning duns. The best time to fish is late in the day but few anglers are doing so. Most are stopping way to early.

07/26/16 The river is in good shape in all sections. The flows and discharges are good and allow for wading in many places. The hatches are still going strong, especially the Pale Morning Duns, Spotted and Green Sedges, little Yellow stoneflies and others. The area is surrounded by a lot of hay fields and that means a lot of grass hoppers. Terrestrials will soon be a big factor.

08/02/16 This is one of the better destinations at this time. Many Montana streams have Hoot Owl restrictions in place meaning you cannot fish after 2:00 PM. The Missouri's tailwaters remain cool during the summer. There are lots of Pale Morning duns and two species of caddisflies hatching. Customers are sending in some very good reports.

08/09/16 The Missouri is one of the best destinations in Montana at this time, due to the low water and high temperatures of the freestone streams. The section below Holter is the best bet and in good shape. Discharges and stream levels are normal and there are plenty of PMDs and caddisflies hatching. Terrestrials are also working good.

09/23/16 The section below Holter dam is one of the best destinations you could select at this time of the season. The water is in good shape, with good discharge and stream levels. There are some very large rainbows being caught and some from the surface. Anglers are wading, fishing from tube floats and drift boats of all types. Fish the upper section of the river.

09/30/16 he big river below Holter is in great shape and our customers are catching some big rainbows. There are Mahogany duns, Blue-winged olive olives, October caddis and other insects hatching. They are also doing good with sculpin streamers early and late. Hopper fished close to the banks along the hayfield is also catching a lot of trout. It is a great time to be fishing the river.

10/12/16 Few anglers are fishing and conditions are excellent. The warm weather and cloud cover is ideal for some big Blue-winged olive and Mahogany dun hatches. October caddis are still hatching as well. The Brown sculpin will get the big pre-spawn brown trout as well as some of the 18 inch rainbows as well.

10/19/16 The discharges from Holter are low and the stream lvels just a little below normal. There is rain forecast for a couple of day during the coming week. This past week was very good. Our customers caught some very large brown and rainbow trout. Streamers, Blue-winged olive nymphs, hoppers and beetles were used. Few anglers are fishing and conditions are great.

10/27/16 It doesn't get any better in the Fall than it is right now, yet few anglers are fishing. I guess it is hunting and football season that keeps the numbers down but those that are fishing are catching lots of trout. Some, especially the pre-spawn brown trout, are big. Blue-winged olive hatches are huge and bring trout to the surface to feed each afternoon.

11/03/16 The river is flowing high and strong but clear and in good shape otherwise. There is no rain in the forecast this coming week. Sculpin streamers have been catching some big brown and rainbow trout lately. There are some very good Blue-winged olive hatches taking place. Midges are beginning to hatch good as well.

11/10/16 Few anglers are fishing but they should be. The discharges and levels are still a little high and fast but those fishing are catching some nice trout and plenty of them. Hatches of Blue-winged olives are taking place along with Cream Midges. Sculpin streamers, like our Olive or Black Matuka or Brown sculpin streamer are good for the larger trout.

11/17/16 The river levels are great, thanks to low discharges. The weather is turning colder but that will affect the fishing in the upper part of the tailwater very little. Blue-winged olives and Cream and red midges are hatching good. It is as good as it gets at this time of the year.

11/24/16 The river is in good shape. Blue-winged olives and midges, both creams and reds or blood midges, are hatching. Sculpin streamers like the Matukas and our Brown and White Belly sculpin are catching the larger trout. Fish the upper section of the tailwater, The lower down stream you fish, the colder the water is..

12/01/16 The big river is in good shape and our customers sent in some good reports this past week. The preferred section to fish is the upper part within a couple miles of the tailwater. The water is a little warmer there. The middle and lower sections in near the high thirties. Midges are hatching good. Winter stoneflies and Black flies are hatching.

12/07/16 The high temperature this coming week will be about 23 degrees. The water will be around 42 degrees. There is a chance of snow everyday for the coming week. You can catch trout. Midges, creams and reds, are hatching good. Just make certain you don't fall in and get wet. That could be deadly. Keep and extra set of dry clothes with you.

12/14/16 Just when you thought it couldn't get any colder, it did. The weather is going to be extremely cold. The water temperature will be in the high thirties near the dam and it is possible to catch trout. We think it is a little dangerous to do so and don't recommend it.

12/21/16 The discharges are down very low and of course that helps when the water is as cold as it is. The average water temperature is only about 34 to 36 and that makes it tough to catch trout. Cream and Red or blood midges are hatching and you can catch trout on imitations of them. Fish the larva and pupa in tandem for the best results.

12/28/16 The tailwater below Holter is still producing some trout for the few anglers willing to brave the cold. The water temperatujre is staying in the mid thirties making it tough to catch them, but midges will do it. Creams and Reds, or blood midges are hatching. Fish the larva and pupa in tandem for the best results. Fish the Winter stonefly nymph near the banks late in the day.

01/04/17 The discharges and stream levels are about normal for this time of the season and the river is in good shape. Midges, mostly creams and reds, or blood midges, are hatching. Fish the larva and pupa imitations in tandem, with the larva the bottom fly and the pupa about 16 inches above it. This tandem rig works great under and indicator. Winter stoneflies and Black flies are also hatching.

01/18/17 Midges, creams and reds, or blood midges are still the most important insects to imitate. They are best fished with the larva and pupa rigged in tandem. Place the pupa about 16 inches above the larva. This can be fished under a strike indicator. Winter stoneflies and some Black Flies. Fish the midge larva and pupa in tandem for the best results.

01/25/17 The discharges and stream levels below Holter remain about the same. Fish the uppermost section of the river. The water downstream is much colder. Midges and Winter stoneflies are the most important insects to imitate. Fish the Cream and Red midges, with the larva and pupa in tandem.

01/31/17The river is in good shape below Holter but cold.Fish Cream or Red (blood) midge larva and pupa in tandem. We now have these pre-rigged for those anglers than have trouble tying on small flies. If you see midge clusters, or trout swirling near the surface, they are likely feeding on adult midges. Fish the Cream or red adult pattern.The water is about 36-37 near the dam but gets colder the further downstream you go.

02/08/17 The Holter tailwater is the preferred section of the river to fish during the winter. Fish midges, creams, reds or light greens with the pupa and larva rigged in tandem. This setup imitates hatching midges better than individual flies. When it is cloudy, fish sculpin streamers like our Black Matuka sculpin or Brown sculpin They work good in low light situations. Fish near the dam.

02/15/17 Fish near the Holter dam for the warmest water. The river gets colder the further downstream you fish. The levels are okay at the time but be sure to check them. They are subject to change with the recent upstream rain and snow. Midges, Winter stoneflies and little BWO nymphs are the flies to use. Sculpin streamers are also working.

02/22/17 The weather is turning cold again with a chance of snow everyday this coming week. It won't exceed freezing or 32 degrees this week. Fish the upper part of the river near the Holter dam for the warmest water. Midges are still the most important insects to imitate. Fish the Cream or Red midges with the larva and pupa rigged in tandem.

93/01/17 The discharges and resulting stream levels are about the same as last week. The weather is going to be a little warmer. That makes little difference in the water temperature except the lower part of the tailwater, but it sure makes it more comfortable to fish. Fish near the Holter Dam for the warmest water, Miidges, Creams and Reds, are still the most important insects to imitate.

03/08/17 The discharges and stream levels are low and the river in good shape. There is a chance of snow everyday for the next week. Try fishing the Black Matuka sculpin streamer or the Brown Sculpin streamer when it is snowing or heavily overcast. Fish midges, Creams, Reds or light Greens, with the larva and pupa rigged in tandem. We now have these pre-rigged for those who have trouble tying on small flies.

03/15/17 The river is in good shape and the weather is fantastic. There is some rain and a little snow in the forecast but that only helps the hatches. Blue-winged olives are hatching as well as tons of midges. The Cream and Red midges are most plentiful but there are some light Greens beginning to show up. Fish the larva and pupa imitations rigged in tandem.

03/22/17 Discharges and stream levels are currently in good shape. The weather is going to be a little warmer this coming week, but it will affect the water below Holter very little. As much as your probably getting tired of fishing them, Midges will remain the most important insects to imitate. Sculpin streamers are working great during low light situations.

03/29/17 There is rain or snow in the forecast everyday but one this coming week, but at least the temperatures are not that low. The water is still in the high thirties to low forties and midges, especially the reds and Creams, are hatching. Fish the larva and pupa rigged in tandem for the best results. You may see some surface action from clusters. If that shows up, fish the adult patterns.

04/04/17 The discharges and stream levels below Holter seems to be in good shape and the water is gradually, and slowly, getting a little warmer. Midges are still the only aquatic insects hatching to any extent. There are lots of light Green midges. Sculpin streamers should continue to work under low light conditions. There is rain or snow forecast everyday for the next week, so there will be plenty of low light conditions.

04/19/17 The discharges and stream levels are very high due to the runoff from warm weather in the big watershed of the Missouri. It is likely to continue through the coming days. All you can do is to keep checking back with us. We will keep you informed. It is possible to fish the river now from drift boats. We don't think it would likely be very productive.

04/26/17 The water is high and is lightly stained. It can be fished from drift boats at the current levels. Streamers like the Brown or Black Matuka sculpin streamers should work. The most important insects are still the Midges, mostly light green and cream. There is a chance of rain or snow in the forecast everyday this coming week.

05/03/17 The river is still flowing strong and high, too high to wade anywhere but fine for larger drift boats. Streamers fished in the eddies and soft outer seams of the faster water will produce some trout. Although most guys are tired of them, midges are still the most important source of food tor the trout and will still produce the most numbers of fish caught.

05/10/17 Discharges and stream levels are high and likely to be high most of the coming week. There is rain in the forecast everyday. There is some runoff starting in the headwaters of the Missouri, which is huge. We expect the levels will be high for the next few weeks.

05/17/17 Stream levels are still very high and likely to continue to be high for several days. The runoff is going on and with three major rivers feeding the Missouri, you can bet it is a big one. Some guys are still fishing but it is more like dredging. You can catch trout on streamers if you work hard at it. All you can do is keep checking back with us.

05/24/17 The river continues to be very high from the Spring runoff. This is a wet year and the water is likely going to be high through June. Fishing is more like dredging than fishing. The local fly shops push it but it in our opinion, it is not worth a trip from out of town. You can catch a few fish if your lucky and dredge nymphs all day or swing streamers.

05/31/17 The discharges and stream levels are down from last week, but still very high. The runoff is still well underway in the watershed. The levels will likely be high for most of the month of June. You can fish it from a drift boat, but it is more like dredging than fishing. We don't recommend it as a destination trip under these conditions.

06/07/17 The runoff has increased some the past week. There is a chance of rain everyday for the coming week. The stream levels are extremely high and likely to be high for most of the month of June. All you can do is to keep checking back with us. We will keep you informed as to the status of the runoff. You can send us an email and let us help you plan that next trip.

06/14/17 The discharges and stream levels are up just a little from last week. We think it is getting near its peak but it may not be. The runoff can last on into the month of July on wet years, and this is a wet year with a big snowpack. All you can do is to stay in touch with us.. We will keep you updated as to the statues of the runoff.

06/21/17 The river is still flowing very high from runoff. It is down a little from last week, and can be fished from a drift boat. If you like there, give it a shot. If you want to choose it as a destination trip, don't. Wait at least until the first to second week of July. Sure, we know the locals guides need business and I feel for them. The river is high and not easy to fish at all.

06/29/17 The river is getting into good shape fast. The discharges and stream levels are way down from the past week. There is no rain in the forecast for the watershed and the levels should continue to get better. It is still a little high but can be fished from drift boats successfully. There are lots of insects hatching including PMDs and two types of caddisflies.

07/05/17 The river is at about the same level as last week, with discharges that are still a little too strong for wading in most places. The river can be fished well from drift boats. Our customers are reporting some good catches. There are lots of insects hatching but we have added terrestrials to the fly list as they are becoming important.

07/12/17 The stream is in good condition and we are getting some very good reports. There are multiple hatches taking place and some are doing well with terrestrial imitations. All sections of the river are in good shape and producing trout. Anglers are wading, fishing from float tubes and drift boats of all types.

07/18/17 the river is finally settled down to more normal and stream discharges and flows. It is giving anglers with small boats and wading anglers some good opportunities. We had two good reports from customers this past week. There are lots of Pale Morning duns hatching along with three different species of caddisflies. Conditions should continue to be good this coming week.

07/25/17 The big question everyone has is "do they need a guide". The answer is no, you are not likely to get lost. Yes, I'm joking but no, you do not need a guide and can often catch more trout without one. There are still plenty of hatches taking place, two species of caddisfllies, some Pale Morning duns and lots of tricos.

08/02/17 The stream is still in good condition in all sections. The discharges and stream levels are normal at this time of the season and a lot of trout are being caught. We had two good reports from customers this past week. Trico hatches are huge but there are other hatches taking place. Hoppers have begin to work as well.

08/09/17 This is the time of the year most anglers fishing the Missouri want to fish a hopper imitation, and many a hooper/dropper combination. That works okay at times but should replace matching the most available insects at the time. Right now that is caddisflies. LIttle Sister caddisflies have stated to hatch in addition to the Spotted Sedges.